Storybook Endings
by armygirl918
Summary: After Rose is shot in the middle of a large crowd, Lissa uses her magic to keep her alive and heal her of her most brutal injuries. After waking up, she discovers how much of a mess she has created of her life, and works to put the pieces back together.
1. Chapter 1

**Things you should probably know before you read:**

**This is my first article, so please be patient with me.**

**I will try to post as often as I can, however, my school starts in about two weeks and once it does, I probably won't be able to post as often.**

**I love everything about this series, except for the way it ended. This story starts when Rose is shot and blacks out.**

**Thank you, and enjoy the show!**

I had somehow always known that I would die defending Lissa, and I didn't regret it one bit. Lissa had given me my life, in more ways than one. I've read stories (Surprising, isn't it?) where people who come back from death come back and realize that they had come back for a reason. My reason had been protecting Lissa.

And Dimitri, who had come in and out of my life so many times, whose own life had been taken from him and then given back, was there with me too. He had understood, and had helped Sonya understand too, that a life given back could never be wasted. He knew there was a reason people had come back. I could only hope that now, as I had fulfilled it, he would be able to accept it.

The pain in my chest was more than I had ever imagined. People got shot every day, the pain was excruciating, but it couldn't be that much worse than what I'd already been through, right? Wrong. I couldn't describe what I felt like, only that I was majorly impressed by the fact that I could think at all. The only thing I knew was that the bewildering and unimaginable sensation was there, that it was real, the most real thing I had ever experienced, and that eventually, one way or another, it would lessen. All I could do was wait.

The darkness that was momentarily bayed by my own shock was now closing in around me. The rings around my eyesight were now squeezing tighter and tighter around my vision until I felt like I was looking through a straw. I was losing the feeling and control of my body that I had trained for years to gain. The feeling in all parts of my body was fading. I was going numb. For a brief second, I could comprehend nothing but this lessening of my unbearable pain. I tried hard to understand what was going on, tried to force my rapidly deteriorating body to work. I tried to see, to make what I thought were my eyes work. I saw nothing but a foggy haze at best. I could hear nothing, not even the thud of my heartbeat in my ears. Had my heart stopped? After all the scares and near misses, was my life finally over?

That was my last thought as I let the darkness swallow me and bring me down into oblivion.

I guess I should have known that I wouldn't really die. I had accepted it in that last fleeting moment. I remember Robert Doru's words or wisdom. I'd known the shadows would not hesitate to entrap me, and I had let them. Lissa however had not. As soon as she had gotten over the initial shock, when I'd blacked out, she'd started to work her magic, literally. She brought me back once again from the dead. I was grateful, more so than anyone could ever imagine. Sure, I'd thought I was ready for it. I'd said goodbye to the world, or so I thought. As it turns out, there were lots of people I'd never said goodbye to, and ironically, most of them had been there when it happened, when I died. (I don't think I'll ever get used to the sound of that. I should be though, it's happened before.) My parents, my friends, everyone who had helped me and gotten me through the numerous trials and adventures that were my life, I'd never known how much I appreciated them until I had the time or reason to go back and wonder why they ever went along with any of my crazy schemes and plans. In my head, I'd said goodbye to Lissa and Dimitri, the two sturdiest and most trusted trees in my life, they were me at the very core, my roots, but I'd never told goodbye, and I was so glad that I didn't have to.

**Please, please, please review and tell me what you think. Also, I know it's short, but I will be posting often enough that I think I can make up for it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to put this is in the first chapter, but just so you guys know, I WOULD REALLY LIKE IT IF YOU TOOK A FEW SECONDS AND REVIEWED THIS PIECE! **

When I woke up for the first time after the shooting, I wasn't aware of much except for the drowsiness and dizziness brought on by the anesthetics I had been given. After years of guardian lessons and training, having any of my senses hampered made me feel uneasy. With all of them out of whack, I was on the verge of having a panic attack. I was just so woozy, and every time I tried to get myself orientated again, it just got worse.

I gave up and closed my eyes, drifting back to sleep. It seemed like almost as soon as I closed my eyes, I opened them again, groaning in pain. Almost a second later I became ecstatic, because even though I was in pain, I was also aware of it. I could see and feel and smell and think.

My years of guardian training kicked in and I did a quick search of the room. I had assumed that after being shot, I would wake up and find myself in a hospital. You can imagine my surprise when I looked and found I wasn't. I was in fact lying in a queen size bed with comfy sheets and a down comforter. There were glass doors opening to a balcony to my left, a large plasma screen TV in front of me, a modern bath with a state of the art shower that I knew I could spend forever and a day in to my right, and there was a door leading to the rest of my large open suite next to me. The studio brick and modern look to the room was definitely my kind of vibe. There were two zebra print bean bags sitting in a corner with a wooden bookshelf next to them. Two shelves were already stocked with the classic western novels Dimitri was in love with. His duster and my coat were hanging on a coat rack next to the door. Upon further inspection, I realized the closet already contained the majority of my clothes. I was guessing the bureau under the TV contained the rest of them. I instantly fell in love with my new home. Everything about it was exactly the way I would have made it if I had the choice. I was guessing either Dimitri or Lissa or the both of them had designed this place. I would have to remember to thank them.

Speak of the devil, they both walked in at the same time. I felt myself blushing and a big goofy smile come onto my face. Dimitri gave me a quick peck on the cheek and Lissa practically threw herself into me. We embraced with all the strength I could muster. I was so happy to see them.

"You like?" Lissa asked pulling away and positioning herself at the foot of the bed. I shook my head. "You love?" I nodded furiously. Lissa and I both erupted into childlike giggles. After a few minutes of some idle chit chat, I dared to ask the question, because I honestly had no clue.

"Where are we?" Lissa and Dimitri glanced at each other, silently daring each other to say something. After a few seconds I got impatient. I really wanted to know.

"Will one of you please just tell me? Please?" I begged. Finally, Dimitri opened his mouth and I swear he had never looked more serious.

"We're in palace housing. Lissa won the election." I looked over at Lissa in disbelief. She nodded and with a strangely placed grimace confirmed what Dimitri had just told me.

"It's true. I'm queen." She said. After years of guardian training and preparation, I'd thought nothing could truly surprise. I expected everything. But I was sadly mistaken. In that moment my jaw dropped and I sat there gaping. I was so conflicted. Obviously, I was surprised, but I was also excited, this was what I'd wanted, wasn't it? But what if our worst fears came true, and because of all the spirit she'd been calling on, what if it proved to be too much, and one or both of us went crazy. I skimmed over our bond, trying to figure out what was going through her mind, how I should react. She was thinking about the same thing I'd been, but her thought had been much more developed. She'd had days to think and worry while I'd only had a few seconds.

I decided to be supportive and comforting because that was what she needed most right now.

"Hey, it'll be alright. You're going to make an awesome queen. You are an amazing friend, you have a beautiful personality, and you're the best friend I could ever ask for." We hugged again and then she had to go help plan her coronation. It felt so weird saying that, yet somehow just thinking about it was exhilarating and exciting. I'd done so much and tried so hard to get this to happen, and now it was.

Once Lissa left, Dimitri came and laid down next to me. I gazed into his eyes and saw the same expression back. We both loved each other so much, and after such a close call, we appreciated each other even more. For what seemed like the first time, I saw him. I saw every beautiful detail of him, his face, his strong, sturdy body that made me quiver just looking at. I loved him and he loved me and now nothing could keep us apart. Well, almost nothing. I was still recovering, and while I honestly couldn't have cared less, Dimitri insisted we do nothing that could in anyway harm me. After some begging and kissing though, he agreed to cuddle with me. I put my head on his chest and wrapped his arms around me. Everything felt right, just the way they should be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to get another chapter up. I've been on vacation and I've had some serious writer's block, as well as just some authentic laziness. I'm going away next week and then school starts, and I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do, but I'm going to try to put at least one chapter every week or so. Enjoy! **

"All good things must come to an end." That's what I told myself as I pulled away from Dimitri and got up to get ready for yet another busy day. With Lissa's coronation just days away, I was busy as ever, helping to plan and coordinate everything that went along with the coordination. If I had known about even a fraction of what my duties were, I would never have agreed to do any of this. I mean seriously, I was still recovering. Just weeks ago I had been shot and now this. Granted, it was partly my fault Lissa was becoming queen, but still. Just a little more time off would have been nice.

Physically, I was doing pretty well. My chest was still a little sore and I still had to take some pain medication, but other than that I was doing pretty well. Not that this was totally unexpected. I was in great shape before the shooting. That combined with the fact that I was dhampir and therefore healed faster than humans gave me an edge as far as rehabilitation. However, my mental health was a little sketchier. I wasn't on the verge of some mental collapse or anything like that, but sometimes my thoughts just ran together and I'd been getting really tired lately and… well yeah, that was about it. So much had changed for pretty much overnight and adjusting, along with the burden of being shot, had taken its toll.

"Rose, I need you now." Lissa called, interrupting my thoughts. I scanned over the bond to see where she was. Oh no, I thought, not now. Lissa was in her bathroom curled up on the floor with snot and tissue surrounding her. Geez, where was Christian when you needed him?

When I got to Lissa's apartment, which happened to be across the hall from mine (Cool, right?) and saw her on the floor, I immediately ran over to her. I pulled her into a big hug and tried my best to calm her down.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked as she violently sobbed into my sweater. I grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and tried my best to wipe away the tears and snot. "Hey, come on, tell me what's up." I could tell she was trying to calm down, enough to get a few words out, and failing miserably. "Hey, Lissa, it's okay, it's gonna be okay." I pulled her in closer and let her get it out. Everyone needed to escape, even future queens. I resisted going into her mind and pulling it out. As much as I cared about her and wanted to help, I figured whatever it was she wanted to tell me herself. I felt her convulsing slowly come to an end and her tight grip on me relax as she pulled away just a little.

"I don't think I can do it. I don't even know if I want to do it. I think- I think I want to pull out. I'm too young. I want to go to college. I want to get married and have kids and maybe be on the council, just because it's my duty as a Dragomir." And again she erupted into sobs.

"Hey, hey, look at me." It took her a second, but she managed to slow her tears and look up. I gripped her shoulders for support and just because it always seemed to work in the movies. "There is no way I, or anyone else for that matter, could possibly imagine what you're going through. I know there is a lot a pressure and chaos right now, but if anyone can get through it, it's you. You are so strong, so much stronger than you realize. And you don't have to do this alone. You don't ever have to be alone. There are so many people who love you who will always be there for you: Me, Christian, Dimitri, all your friends and an entire world of people who couldn't hate you even if they tried to." I gave her an encouraging smile and stopped talking because I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to keep her from falling apart again. She laughed.

"Since when did you become such a motivating person?" she asked and smiled. And then just a second later, that beautiful smile disappeared from her face.

"Rose, that's the problem. There are so many people counting on me, watching my every move. I was born into royalty, and I've had the occasional spotlight on me for a while now, but this, this is just a whole other level. I never wanted this much power or choice. I've had ideas and I've even pushed for certain things to change, but now-"

"Lissa, stop right there. Stop it. There is a reason you have all of that. Those people, all the people who are watching you and counting on you are the ones who gave you that power. They thought you were the best one for the job. They trust you to make the right decision, okay? If they have a problem with what you do or what you say, or anything like that, they can just deal, okay? Now I know you can do this. We're just gonna take this one day at a time, okay?" She raised her eyebrows and gave me this questioning look before taking a deep long breathe and nodding.

"Okay." She said and smiled.

"Okay, now let's get you cleaned up." I said as I pulled her up.

"Rose, thanks for being there. I really needed that.'

"That's okay, I mean seriously, what are friends for? We're in this for life." She groaned as she took my hand and we walked back into her room. "I'm gonna go make us some popcorn and you're going to go pick out some movies. Tonight, we're just two teenagers, having a movie night."

And for that night, even if it was for just a few hours, we escaped our own reality.


	4. Chapter 4

Lissa and I have been friends for practically forever. I have been with her for almost every defining moment in her life since we were kids. Through it all, we've stayed together. Now I have to share her with an entire world of strangers. In a way, it's sort of always been this way she's always belonged to royalty. So why is it so hard for me to adjust?

"Rose. It's about to start!" Lissa calls to me using our bond, effectively stopping my off of topic train of thought. I watch as the many monarchs dressed in their elegance slowly walk down the aisle and towards their seats. Their regal outfits and expressions, as fitting as they are, cause me a great amount of unease. Maybe I'm nervous, or Lissa's overwhelming emotions flooding through the bond are the cause.

I looked around. Only the highest of monarchs were allowed in, as well as Lissa's Guard, of course, and a few of Lissa's friends who were not monarchs, some not even royal. Not that I cared, but it seemed like just about everyone else did.

I literally stopped thinking when I saw Lissa. As she walked passed me in her beautiful gown I felt this overwhelming surge of pride. I guess you could compare it to a mother watching her daughter get married, but it was just so much. Everything I had been working for in those weeks I'd been on the road after escaping, everything that had happened was finally coming together. I had never been happier in my life. A huge grin was plastered onto my face, I couldn't help it, nor did I want to. Lissa was like a sister to me, and this was so big, so huge for me and for her.

The ceremony was long, much longer than I wanted it to be, and if it was anyone else besides Lissa who was standing up there I think I would have up and left. But it was Lissa, and this just made it official. My best friend, my literal BFFL (Best Friend For Life) was now queen. Wow that felt weird to say. I still hadn't had much time to think about it, but I'd get used to it.

**So, I'm sorry to say that that was the last chapter of this story. I'm sorry to all of you followed this story, but I realized that I really didn't have any plot lines or plans for after the coronation, and it should probably just be left where it is.**

**Also, if any of you are interested, I'm doing a story in Twilight, a Bella and Jacob. I think it'll be pretty good, and I actually have some ideas for a plot! **


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